Antiskid chain



\ July 14, 1931. F. H. LEWIS 1,814,716

ANTISKID CHAIN Filed June 1l 1950 Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE FRED H. LEWIS, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T UNITEDSTATES CHAIN &

FORGING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELA-WARE ANTISKID CHAIN Application filed June 11, 1930. Serial No. 460,395.

My invention relates toanti-skid chains such as are employed on vehiclewheels and more particularly to chains of the reinforced or calk type. V

One object of my invention is to provide an anti-skid chain that is oflonger life than various standard types and which offers more effectiveresistance to skidding.

Another object of my invention is to provide an anti-skid chain thatpossesses greatly increased wearing qualities with relatively smallincrease in the amount of material employed in the chain structure.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an anti-skid chain ofgenerally improved character. One form which my invention may take isshown in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentaryplan view of an'anti-skid structure; Fig. 2 is an elevational view ofthe structure of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a View, on an enlarged scale,taken on the line IIIII I of Fig. 1.

The numerals 5 designate linksof side chains or tension members whichmay be of somewhat the usual form and to which the cross chains whichextend across the tread of thetire are connected. The cross chainscontain links 6 which are twisted through approximately 180 so that theymay all lie in substantially a common plane, instead of successive linksbeing disposed in planes at right angles to one another as is the casewith ordinary straight or fiat links which are connected together. 4

The twisting of the links produces bends and protuberant portions 7, 8and 9, tov

which calks 10 may be Welded. Usually, only the intermediate links of across chain are subjected to any considerable wear in road service, andtherefore it is not necessary that calks be applied to all of thetwisted links. After the links have been joined together and twisted,the calks may be fastened thereto in any suitable manner, preferably byapplying welding current thereto by means of electrodes. chain'may beheat-treated to harden it.

- Thecalks are of course on the outeror road-engaging side of the crosschains.

Thereafter, the

In the case of twisted links of either the standard type or the typeshown in the drawings, the bends or protuberant portions receivesubstantially all of the wear and the chain becomes worn through atthose points. The calks being welded to the protuberant portions oroutwardly projecting bends, therefore, not only serve to effectivelyprevent skidding and slipping of the wheel to which the chain isapplied, but. protect-the chain links from wear until the calks havebeen worn down. Thereafter,the chain will have a still further life,substantially equal to the life which it would have had if the calks hadnot been employed. The calks may be made of substantially the same gageof bar stock that enters into the structure of the linksor of any othersuitable gage or quality of material.

The diagonal arrangement of the calks 10 results in better resistance toskidding or slipping than if said calks were disposed in lines parallelto the cross chain or transversely thereof. Furthermore, they have theeffect of protecting the links against breaking through road shocks, assometimes hap pens in case the links have been too greatly. hardened.

I claim as my invention e 1. Anti-skid cross chains composed of linkswhich are twisted through approximately 180, and calks secured to and inparallelism with one of the diagonally-extending portions of eachtwisted link.

2. The combination with a chain link 35 twisted through 180 to bring itsside portions in diagonally crossed relation, of 2. calk secured to oneof said said portions.

3. The combination with a chain link twisted through 180 to bring itsside portions in diagonally crossed relation, of a calk secured to oneof said side portions, the said calk being of elongated form andextending in a direction generally parallel to the last-named sideportion.

4. The combination with a chain. link twisted through 180 to bring itsside portions in diagonally crossed relation, of a calk secured toone'of said side portions, the said calk being of elongated form andex.- 100 tending in a direction generally parallel to the last-namedside portion, for approximately the full length of the link.

5. The combination with a chain link twisted through approximately toform three protuberant bends, of a calk secured against said bends andbridging the same.

6. The combination with a chain link twisted to form a protuberant bendadjacent to each end thereof, of a calk extending across and secured tosaid bends in overlying relation thereto.

7. The combination with a chain link twisted to form a protuberant bendadjacent to each end, at opposite sides of the longitudinal center lineof the link, of a calk extending across the link and secured to the saidbends in overlying relation thereto.

8. A chain structure comprising twisted links having protuberant bendsand bar-like calks secured to said bends, in overlying relation thereto,and extending in directions diagonal to the longitudinal axis of thelinks, the said calks bridging the protuberances of their respectivelinks.

In testimony whereof I, the said FRED H. LEWIS, have hereunto set myhand.

FRED H. LEWIS.

